Claustrophobia
by meliecom
Summary: Just a little something from episode 1x02 that was missing... ; Harm & Meg


_Hey hey ! My mom asked me to write a story in english as homework, and I figured it would be a fanfiction, so there it is ! It's my first try in english, and it's not my first langage, so sorry if there's any faults... Anyway, just a little something from JAG 1x02 that I would've like seing happenning !_

_Thanks to fairy talesx3‏ for the beta reading ^^_

_Disclaimer : If anybody wonder, none of this is mine, JAG belongs to CBS and Donald. P. Bellisario... I'm just borrowing the characters, and certains lines..._

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"I was not made for this tiny habitat." I heard him saying as we were going through the long and small passage. I felt like the walls were closing in on us each time lieutenant Rabb had to watch for his head not to bump the ceiling. I closed my eyes only for a second trying to remember that I was safe. I shouldn't have. When I finally managed to open them again, he was staring at me.

"What's wrong?" he asked looking worried. I didn't want to tell him I was claustrophobic. He already didn't like me. I didn't know if it was because I was a woman. No, that couldn't be it. His former partner was a woman. Wait a second. That was it! He didn't like me because I replaced lieutenant Pike.

"Nothing sir," I said trying to sound normal. It didn't fool him, and a second later, he figured out.

"You're claustrophobic, aren't you?" he said lowering his head to mine. Damn it, his eyes were reading me like an open book. I tried to convince him again.

"Me? No! I just…"

"The hell you're not!" Didn't work… He opened the door of the officer's ward room and got inside, holding my arm. He released it to close the door. I began to walk around like a caged animal. These walls looked like they were going to squeeze me like a car in a scrap yard.

"Why didn't you say so?" he finally said placing his hands on his hips, looking at me with furious eyes.

"It's never been this bad," I tried to explain still walking.

"You've never been on a submarine!" he said like it was obvious. Yes! I'd never had been on a submarine before! How could've I know?

"What are you gone do?" I asked trying to think of something else.

"Relieve you; get someone out here who can do the job," he said to my back. Turning around so quickly that it made me dizzy, I walked closer to him.

"You can't do that, sir. My career would be over," I said looking at him; he had the same expression he had before.

"Yeah, but more than a couple thousand lives are a little more important than your naval career, lieutenant. Which wouldn't be over. You'd be assigned duties un-affected by your phobia." How could he expect me to be assign to a desk doing some sort of paper work! I was meant for this job; he wasn't gone talk me out of it.

"What? Shoveling papers in some JAG office?" He walked around the room once before stopping just in front of me. I could smell the salty taste of the sea from our previous swim.

"It would have a window," he said looking at me in the eyes, smiling a little.

"That is not funny, sir!" I replied immediately. Like he was going to make me less angry with this argument.

"No, but it's honest, which is a little more than you…" Honest? Did he really say honest? I was honest, how could he even say that! He never worked with me before, he couldn't know!

"Look, damn you, don't you dare!" I said not realizing what I was saying.

"Watch it, lieutenant! Or your naval career will be over, here and now."I had to agree I was pushing it now… I waited a second to regain composure. There was only a foot between us now, and I could feel his breath on my skin.

"Sorry, sir. I apologize, sir," I said knowing that he was right. If I didn't stop it, my naval career would be over.

"Look at you; you're coming apart like a paper doll," he said more softly this time. My breath was hissed, and I tried to fix a point in the ceiling.

"Just give me a chance to beat this," I managed to say still looking at the ceiling.

"I don't think you can." Who was he to know what I could and couldn't do?

"You don't like me because I replaced Kate," I said turning to him, trying to steady my breathing.

"No, I don't like you because you didn't disqualify yourself from this mission. That, at least, I would've respected," he said going for the door.

I didn't seem to get my breathing in control, and I was beginning to hyperventilate, I knew it. I reached for the wall in front of me before sitting down. I lowered my head into my heads and tried to concentrate. Damn it, I worked so hard to be a navy lieutenant, I wasn't gone let my phobia restrain me!

I barely noticed that lieutenant Rabb had turn around and was now sitting beside me. I lifted my head and looked him in the eyes.

"I'm okay… You can go… I'll catch up with you later," I said still having trouble breathing.

"Meg, you have to breath. Slow deep breaths," he said putting his hand over my shoulder. What made him change his behavior like that?

Unable to answer his request, I simply nodded twice. It looked like the room was spinning, and I was seeing double. I closed my eyes.

"Meg." I heard Harm say. "Meg, stay with me here, open your eyes," he said while taking my shoulders, spinning me so I was looking at him. "Look at me. Look. At. Me." He said again.

I locked my eyes to his and took a deep breath. I was still trembling when I got the breathing under control. He took me closer to him holding me into his chest. I closed my eyes as I lowered my head on his shoulder taking a minute to stop shaking. When I finally got that part better, I withdrew avoiding his eyes.

"I'm sorry," I said looking at my feet.

"I'm going to give you a second chance, but you better not screw it up this time," he said getting up and helping me to do the same.

"I won't, sir," I said once back on my feet. I was still dizzy, but it was acceptable. I could get a hold to myself, I knew it.

He opened the door before looking at me one last time.

"Sir, can I ask you a question?"

"Yes, go ahead, lieutenant."

"Why?" I said referring at why he turned back and helped me.

"Because you were right. I don't like you because you replaced Kate. But it shouldn't affect my work. After all, it's not your fault. And when I'll know you better. I'm sure I'll like you. Just, give it time okay," he said stepping out of the room and closing the door.

I took another deep breath before opening the door. I was able to do this. At least I knew he didn't hate me. And I was sure we would be great partners. I just had to give it time like he said…

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_Thanks for reading ! ^^_


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